Page 92 (1/1)

"Rheumatism was a fool disease, anyhow," he muttered

"Great news!" Esteban Varona announced one day as he dis trip into the Yumuri, "We met some of Lacret's men and they told us that Spain has recalled Captain-General Caes himself powerless to stem the flood of Cuban revolution What do you say to that?"

"Does that erly inquired

"Oh no They have sent a new man--he's in Havana now--a dark little, old felloho never s chin; he dresses all in black--a very 'jew-bird' in appearance, from what I hear His name is Weyler--Valeriano Weyler, Marquis of Teneriffe" Esteban laughed tolerantly, for as yet the na to hiirl "We hide like animals and we see no one for weeks at a tie to find us"

"Oh, he'll e it so eye over the new bohio and the new garden plot which Evangelina had courageously begun "We're not so badly fixed, are we? At least Colonel Cobo won't find us so readily this tiirl "I dream about him"

Esteban scowled "I've seen hiuard hi to destroy the whole valley"

"He will never forget"

Esteban covertly appraised his sister's char her terror of Cobo he did not speak his thoughts He was certain, however, that Rosa knew, as well as he, what motive lay behind the fellow's tireless persecutions of the valley dwellers; for in spite of their isolation stories of Cobo had reached the refugees- -stories that had rendered both the boy and the girl sick with apprehension The colonel, it see he had sworn to exter him He had sworn other oaths, too, oaths that robbed Esteban of his sleep

Esteban idolized his sister; her loyalty to hi of his life, Therefore, the thought of that swarthy ruffian hunting her down as a hound hangs to the trail of a doe awoke in hiuerrilla chief was his bitterness against the traitor, Pancho Cueto, who had capped his villainy by setting this new peril upon them; and since Rosa's safety and his own honor called for the death of both men, he had sworn that somehoould effect it It was, of course, a difficult et at the Colonel of Volunteers, but Cueto still lived in the ainst hi to launch his first blow